1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of archery. Specifically, the invention describes a device, attached to or integral with an arrow shaft, which provides greater penetration than conventional shafts alone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The act of hunting with a bow and arrow is an ancient art. Mankind has sought many ways to increase hunting success through improvements to this basic equipment. Increasingly more powerful bows have proven capable of launching arrows greater distances and with greater force. To make flight dynamics more predictable and accurate, arrows are now precision manufactured from balanced aluminum or graphite shafts and guided by carefully placed fletching. Arrowheads include broad-tipped blades designed to cut a large wound in a target animal, increasing the probability that a critical organ can be struck.
Yet, for all this technology, one fundamental shortcoming of arrow design has never been addressed. Contemporary arrows rely upon the mass and speed of the arrow to drive deep into the target animal. In this manner, modern arrows are no more advanced than their ancestors. A common problem arises when an arrow strikes a solid object, such as a bone, upon penetration. Such an arrow often rebounds from the elastic force of this collision and further penetration is decreased or stopped altogether. An animal wounded in such a way may escape or die weeks later, long after the hunter has lost track of his quarry. Moreover, many vital organs, such as those of the torso, are naturally protected by bones, making it likely that such a problem may arise. Bow hunters are therefore forced to aim for smaller, unprotected parts of the anatomy, such as the heart, which are significantly more difficult to hit.
The only previous attempt to overcome this problem has been to make the arrow, or just the arrowhead, heavier. However, this is a poor solution that greatly reduces the effective range of the arrow and does not overcome the inherent elastic collision that will still take place if a bone is struck upon penetration of the target.
The present invention is an arrow ferrule device that delivers significantly better arrow energy transfer upon impact resulting in better arrow penetration. The device appears outwardly to be a cylindrical extension of an arrow shaft, inserted between the arrowhead and the main shaft of the arrow, or as an integral insert placed in the hollow end of an arrow shaft. The invention is compatible with all contemporary arrow shafts.
A key feature of the present invention is an internal actuator that slides down an inner chamber of the device. Prior to impact, this actuator is magnetically coupled to the aft wall of the chamber; but, upon impact, the resulting force releases the actuator that then slides forward to impact the forward wall of the chamber. This actuation provides the same inelastic collision associated with a dead-blow hammer, thereby driving the arrow home in the target.